Means for wrapping and sealing



Feb. 26, 1946. K. E. BEMIS MEANS FOR WRAPPING AND SEALING Filed Jan. 8, 1945 a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 26, 1946 Ems I 2,395,531-

MEANS FOR WRAPPING AND SEALING Filed Jan. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR WRAPPING AND SEALING PATENT OFFICE Kenneth E. Bemis, Oakland, Calif.

Application January 8, 1945, Serial No. 571,815 1 16 Claims.

This invention, wrapping and sealing apparatus, is primarily designed for wrapping and hermetically sealing meat patties made from ground meats, in spaced relation between continuous strips of paper orother wrapping material, and preferably a material which is coated or impregnated with a thermo-softenlng-mate-r rial which will function as an adhesive, and simultaneously as a moistureproofing medium.

Though this machine is primarily designed for the purposes mentioned above, it is equally applicable for the wrapping and sealing of other products. It can readily be adapted to the wrapping of small ples, cakes, and wafers; to certain chemical products, soaps, and even to some types of candles, and similar products which are relatively thin in comparison to their diameter. This machine is intended to wrap and seal the patties in spaced relation throughoutthe lengths of the strips of wrapping material, partly simultaneously, and partly in sequence, with the patty-forming operations. It perforates the wrapper transversely between the patties, and not only seals, but binds the edges of the wrapper, thus securing the patty and insuring ,the intactness of the seal.

,The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows: First, to provide apparatus .for wrapping and sealing meat patties in spaced relation within a continuous ribbon of wrapping material. Second, to provide apparatus as outlined which will carry out certain operations of wrapping simultaneously with the forming operations for the patty, with the other operations following in sequence.

Third, to provide apparatus as outlined which will wrap patties between two ribbons of wrapping material and hem and bind the edges of the ribbons to insure intactness of the seal during handling.

Fourth, to provide apparatus as outlined which will simultaneously perforate the wrapper between the patties to facilitate separation of the wrapped patties at will.

Fifth, to provide apparatus which, during the patty forming operation, will flange the side edges of the wrapping material, and transversely perforate the wrapping material between successive patties, and in subsequent operations will fold the flange over, iron the folded flange under heat and pressure, and finally impress the folded flange with closely related transverse striations or corrugations to form a perfect seal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read on the drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the invention with the exception of the patty-forming head and wrapping material dispenser which are shown in side elevation.

. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the eflect produced on the wrapping medium when suitable means is notprovided for slacking the I wrapping material.

Fig. 4 illustrates the two ribbons of paper with the apportioned material in position for forming the patty and for the first and second operations of flanging the edges and transversely perforating th wrapper between patties.

v Fig; 5 illustrates the completion of the petty forming and wrapper edge flanging operations. I Fig. 6 illustrates the flange turning or folding operation.

- Fig. 7 illustrates the ironing operation on the folded flange.

Fig. 8 illustrates the final operation, that of striating, serrating or surface corrugating the folded and ironed flange to produce a perfect and strong seal along the edges.

Fig. 9 318 a rear view'of' the perforating device looking in the direction l-I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is an end elevation ofthe perforating device with removable heating and sealing attachment. v n

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the strip of wrapped patties, showing the transverse perforations and one hemmed and sealed side edge of the strip. 1 l c Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modification of the feeding and corrugating apparatus.

' The'invention is primarily intended to be operated in conjunction with my apportioning apparatus, Patent No. 2,366,379 issued Jan. 2, 1945, which delivers measured portions of material such as ground meat onto. a first wrapping material, such as waxed paper, at timed intervals, and which portions are then superimposed by a second web of wrapping material. This invention proceeds with the two sheets of wrapping material with interposed'spaced portions 0! ground meat, sequentially delivers them under a die for forming the portions into thin round patties, brings the side edges of the two wrapping materials together and flanges them upward simultaneousiy with the patty forming operation and I 65 perforates,,or otherwise ruptures vthe wrapper of wrapper.

The portions [5 of meat or other material are deposited on the lower web l6 of wrapping material, which consists of any paper or other suitable material coated or impregnated with a thermo-softening, inert adhesive medium, such as paraffin-impregnated paper, or paper which has been coated or impregnated with a suitable natural or synthetic gum, resin or the like, or a thermo-softening plastic which is moistureproof and which is incapable of transferring either taste or odor to the product which is wrapped therein. Thes portions l5 being delivered at timed intervals, are then carried forward in steps timed accordingly, on a conveyor device, which consists of spaced chains I! which operate over sprockets l8 and I 9 which are mounted on shafts 20 and 2| which in turn are suitably supported in bearings supported by a frame 22.

These chains carry between them a series of plates or dies 23 which are hinged or pivoted at one end as indicated at 24 to the respective chains and riding on suitable supports such as the angles 25, being suspendedly carried back to the head sprocket I8 as indicated at 23. These dies are recessed as indicated at 25 for forming the under side of the patty 21. and the series of dies form a continuous table with plane sides 28 ,with uniformly spaced recesses 26.

This feeding mechanism is step fed preferably by the same mechanism used for driving the apportioning apparatus, not shown, but previously mentioned, and in the absence of such showing, the step-driving means is illustrated in its simplest form as consisting of a driven shaft 29 which has twocranks, one 30 for operating the patty former. and the other 3! cooperating with each revolution with a disc- 32 having radial slots 33 and fixed on theishaft 20 for driving the chains forward the distancebetween two pivots 24 with each revolution of the shaft. 29, and timed to. move the chains while the crank 30 moves throu h the upper portion of its stroke, the apportioning apparatus depositing a portion l5 of ground meat on the lower web 16 of paper while the chains are stationary.

The patty former 34 reciprocates vertically on aslide post 35 and is operated by the crank 30 through a connecting rod 36.

The paper feeding mechanism is of considerable importance. because of the inertia of the roll 31 of paper, and the tendency of the parafilned paper to stick to some extent. The tension of the paper webs l6 and 38 must be uniform at all times, therefore special provision has been made to maintain this uniformity. As shown in Fig. 3, if the paper is fed directly from the roll 39, the inertia of the roll according to the amount of. paper left, will cause the roll to travel some distance with each step somewhat as indicated at 40. The next feed of the chain will take up the slack and adhesion. until the paper is again -faults have been overcome by passing the web over a first roll 42 which is mounted on a bracket or arm 43, thence under a counterweighted roll 44 carried by an arm 45 which is pivoted on the' paper carrier shaft 46 and provided with a suitable stop 41 to limit the movement of the arm, thence over a roll 48 mounted on the arm 43. thence around the roll 49 to the front end 50 of the patty former 34, passing thereunder and leaving a space above the web 16 for the portion l5;. the portion passing forward when the former is in its upper position and thus being interposed between the two webs 38 and I6.

As will be noted, the counterweighted roll '44 compensates for the movement of the former and for the interposition of the portions, and as the chain feeds forward a step, the paper fed is derived from the intervening portion between the two rolls 42 and 43, and no movement of the roll of paper is required, the tension being governed by the counterweight 45, which,-following the step feed will drop to its lowered position shown. releasing the paper from the underlying convolution to extend to the position indicated at 5|, then moving the-roll for whatever paper is necessary to provide the intervening portion 52 ready for thenext. feed of the web. Thus there is no jerk or strain on the paper or roll, and all requirements are compensated for through a positive and uniform resistance regardless of the amount of paper remaining on the roll. The feeding mechanism for the web I6 is of the same type as that just described, but extends under the ejecting mechanism of the apportioning device mentioned.

The first operation consists in flanging the sides of the webs, simultaneously with the patty forming operation. This method is :equally applicable to webs of the same width, or where n narrower web is used above, so that only the under web is flanged. At least the lower of the two webs is wide enough to fit between the guides 53 and 54 and rides on theledge 55 which extends inwardly from the guides a distanceequal to the width of the hem or fold 56 desired along the sides of the wrapped patties 21; and the forming tool 34 is relieved along each side as indicated at "to function as a punch in cooperation with the edgeof the ledge 55 to flange the web up along each side as indicated at 55 whereby. when the plunger descends to form the patty between the two webs, it simultaneously flanges the two sides of the webs. Simultaneously a perforator 59 secured on the back of the plunger. transversely perforates or otherwise weakens the webs between successive patties as indicated at 80. In connection with meat patties, removal of the patties is facilitated if the webs are not transversely sealed. However, with some products sealing is sometimes desirable, and this is readily carried out by providing a shoe 6| heated by a suitable heating member 62 having electric terminals 63 and 64 for its heating element, so that. at the bottom of the stroke and completion of the perforations, the two we'bs will be brought to ether under heat and pressure, the perforator being secured to the plunger 34 through the ape'rtures 55.

At the completion of this operation the'portion l5 has been flattened and expanded tothe desired diameter asindicated by the broken-line forms 21, the sides of the webs are flanged up, and the webs transversely perforated, andif desired, transversely sealed along the perforated area.

accuser Succeeding steps of the conveyor moves the webs with patties into and through the hemmers or folders 8.8 which at the entrance ends are sufficiently high to receive the flange but which converge toward the other end as indicated at 91 to fold the flanges over as illustrated in Fig. 6, being folded flat as indicated at '68 in Fig. '7 as the web moves from the exit ends of these hemmers.

The webs with folded edges then are drawn through under the ironing device 69 which has the ironing surfaces 19 with intervening recess 1| to clear the patty, the ironing surfaces extending throughout the length of the device. This device has heating elements connectable through the terminals 12. and 19 and has a retaining device 14 which operates in slots formed in the elements 53 and 54, and also has a counterweight 15 for the lead end where .additional pressure is required on the folded edge. This ironing device can be lifted out at will since no securing devices need be released. This operation heatsthe folded edge to melt the wax or other adhesive material and simultaneously presses the several layers of wrapping material into cohesion.

The webs then pass under the combined impression and'feeding device which consist of a roll 16 having toothed members 11 and 18 at its opposite ends to roll on the folded edges of the web, and in spaced relation to these toothed members are sprockets 19 and '80 which operate through passages BI formed through the guides to cooperate with the chains I I ,for driving the rolls, which in turn drives the webs.-

A counterweight is mounted on or formed as an extension of each end of the shaft 82 as indicated at 83 and 84 to provide the necessary weight on the. toothed members, to positively drive the webs and to impress the foldnwhile hot,

with serrations or corrugations, to provide a perfect bond, and the shaft 82 is rotatably operable in slots 85 formed in the bearings 86 so that the roll can be lifted out or replaced at will. The toothed members are heated to preventgumming up the teeth, a suitable element 81 in each end 1 being supplied with current through the collector rings 89 and 99 with interposed insulating ring 90, brushes 9| and 92 delivering current to the heating elements through contact with the undersides of the collector rings, these brushes having terminals. 93 and 94 connected to a suitable source of current as indicated at 95 and 96.

This roller. as also the roller 16. can be heated by any suitable means, such as gas, and for this specific roller current canbe delivered to button contacts It: at the opposite ends by means of brushes i 98. Similar to the toothed members 11 and 19, this roller drives the webs, in cooperation with the'membersfl and chains I1.

Heating of the impression rolls is essential since if they are not heated, the wax or other adhesive will harden and clog the teeth. Following this operation the webs are folded, sealed, and corrugated or otherwise impressed as indicated at 56;

the width of the ribbon or'wrapped patties is uniform throughout its extent thereby facilitating packaging, and the ribbon is perforated as indicated at 69 for convenient separation of the in- I dividual wrapped patties. If the shoe BI and the heater iii. are used on-the perforator, the ribbon of patties will be sealed transversely as indicated at 91, completely sealingeach patty individually.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 12 corrul;' gates and seals all of the wrapper exteriorly of the patty, and operates ofl the conveyor chain the same as that shown in Fig. 1, and consistent a roller 98 which is recessed asindicated at 99 and Hill to roll over and clear he patty, withall of the surrounding area of th roll being corrugated,

I claim: 1

1. Means for wrapping patties coincident with the forming thereof and including a patty former, in combination; step conveying means; there being two webs of thermo-adhesive wrapping material in superposed relation with the patties formed there-between in series and transported by said step conveying means, and a guide for each side of said webs; fianging means. carried by .the patty former for fianging up the side edges of said webs; perforatingmeans carried by said patty former for transversely-perforating said webs between successive patties as formed; folding me'ans forfolding said flanges; ironing means for ironing said folded flanges under heat and pressure; and impressing means for creasing said ironed folded flanges and including heating means to' prevent clogging of said impressing cal movement; said web being threaded from said .roll holder, over one of said spaced rolls, thence under said intervening roll and over theother spaced roll, said intervening rollretracting a measured amount of wrappingmaterial from the roll holder, during idle periods of the step conveying' means and supplying the necessary material for the next step of the conveying means, whereby the wrapping materials are supplied under uniform tension at all times irrespective of the weight of the paper on the roll holder.

3. Aistructure as defined in claim 1; said perforating means comprising a member having a multiplicity of teeth inseries and secured to the follow side of the former, and having ashoe for cooperation with. said webs during the perforating operation, and means for heating'said shoe.

4. A structure as-defined in claim '1; said flanging means comprising fianging members projecting inwardly from saidguides a distance substantially equal. to the width of the flange to be formed; said former being relieved along each side to fit between said flanging memberswith interposed thicknesses of wrapping material, whereby movementof the patty former in forming the patty and passing between the flanging members flanges the side portion of the webs upwardly.

5. A structure as defined in claim 1; said folding means comprising members having passages I open .on one side and converging from the lead end to the follow end to receive the upturned flange and gradually fold the flange down as the flangeis passed from one end to the other.

6. A structure as defined in claim 1; said from pressing means comprising a roller consisting of two spacedly insulated collector rings at the center thereof and a sprocket at each end for coand sprockets and impression plates supported by and between said chains; means for step actuating said conveyor; there being a lower web and an upper web 'of wrapping material carrying thermo-adhesive means and between which portions of ground meat are transported for forming into patties; and guide means for said webs; means for flanging up the side portions of said webs; means for transversely perforating said webs between patties; means for folding down the flanged side ortions of said webs; means for ironing the folded side portions under heat and pressure.

9. A structure as defined in claim 8} means driven by said conveying means and cooperating with the folded and ironed side portions of the web for impressing said side portions with corrugations or striations under heat and pressure to form a perfect bond.

10 A structure as defined in claim 8; said wrapping and sealing means including a vertically reciprocable patty former; said patty former being relieved along each side to a width and height equal substantially to the width of the flange to be formed; flanging members extending inwardly from each guide with the edges of the webs supportable thereon with the relieved portion of said former, passing between said flanging members and forcing the central portions of the webs down while forming the side portions of the webs up during the forming operation for the patties.

11. A structure as defined in claim 8; said wrapping and sealing means including a vertically reciprocable patty former; said perforating means comprising a. plate having a multiplicity of teeth in series at its lower end and attached to the follow end of said patty former; and a shoe including a heating member mountable on said perforating means for cooperationiwith said webs to seal the webs along the region of the perforations. v

12. A structure as defined in claim 8; said ironing means comprising a weighted member freely slidable vertically between said guides and means for retaining said member against movement with said webs; said member having a depending ironing shoe extending along each side with the intervening space clearing the patties carried thereunder by said conveyor; heating means within said weighted member for heating said means.

7 ties comprising; a conveyor having spaced'chains 13. A structure as defined in claim 8; said ironing means comprising; a weighted member between said guides and means for retaining said member against movement with said webs; said member being centrally relieved underneath to clear said webs, forming a depending shoe along each side, and means for heating said shoes for softening the adhesive carried by the webs, and ironing the folded flanges under the weight of the member; an impressing member including a body portion having spaced collector rings, a toothed impression disc near each end for rolling cooperation with the ironed flange, a heating element in said body for each impression disc and having connections with said collector rings; a driving device at each end of said body and externally of said impressing members for cooperation with said conveying means for driving of said impressing members; brushes mounted on thefollow end of said weighted member and cooperating with said collector rings; a source of current for said brushes; bearings for said impressing member to retain said member against bodily movement with said webs; and weighting means for said impressing member.

14. A structure as defined in claim 8; uniform tensioning means for each web comprising; a roll holder; a pair of spaced rollers and an intervening roller mounted for vertical movement and located below said spaced rollers and including weighting means and stop means for limiting the drop thereof, said webs feeding from said roll holders over one of said pair of rollers thence undersaid intervening roller, thence over the other of said pair of rollers; whereby during idle periods of said conveyor between steps said intervening roller retracts the web from the-roll holder and controls sufllcient of the web to supply the next movement of the conveyor without recourse to the supply on the roll holder.

15. In a patty forming machine having a reciprocating plunger for forming the patties betweentwo webs of thermo-adhesive wrapping material; guides for said webs; a flanging member extending inwardly from said guides and supporting said webs; there being a relief formed along each side of said plunger to clear said flanging members; said plunger operating between said flanging=members during the downstroke and forcing the central portion of the web down during the forming of the patty; therev by forming the side edges up to form upstanding flanges; means for folding said flanges over; means for ironing said folded flanges under heat and pressure.

16. A-structure as defined in claim '15; a-

weighted and heated impressing device including a toothed disc for cooperation with each folded and ironed flange and including heating means and means retaining said impressing device against bodily movement while being rotatable on its own axis.

KENNETH E. BEMIS. 

